During a workshop on job interviews that I led at the University at the end of last November, I introduced my presentation with the following question:
How would you define a successful job interview?
Or, in other words, at the end of an interview, if you are asked how it went, what criteria will you use to say “Very Good”, “Good” or even “Not good at all ” ?
In fact, maybe you are one of those who would answer: “I don’t know, I’m waiting for the results”
In fact, as soon as the interview is over, you should be able to tell if it was a success.
A successful interview is when you have helped yourself and your interviewer answer these three essential questions:
1. Does the candidate have the necessary skills and competencies (in terms of education and professional experience) to meet the challenges of the position to be filled?
2. Is the candidate sufficiently motivated by the position to be filled and by the company?
3. Will the candidate’s personality fit into the mold of the company’s culture? Will he be able to get along well with his team leader? Will he be able to get along well with his colleagues?
This is why good preparation is necessary.
When the interviewer asks you the traditional question “Why should we hire you instead of other candidates?” “, give him an answer that demonstrates that you perfectly meet the three criteria above.
If you find you haven’t had a chance throughout the course of the interview to demonstrate this, take the opportunity for open-ended questions like, “Do you have anything to add?” or even “Do you have any questions?” “.
You could answer, for example, “I have nothing to add, but I think I am the ideal candidate for this position because…”
It is also recommended to send a thank you letter 24 to 48 hours after the interview. This is a second opportunity to remind you that you perfectly meet the three criteria.
On the other hand, it is also possible that what you have discovered about the company culture or the position to be filled does not encourage you to continue your application. Even then, consider yourself successful in your interview. Many employees are in burnout because they occupy positions that do not correspond to them, or work in companies whose culture clashes with their core values.
Such risks can be avoided by passing your interview: either by demonstrating that you perfectly meet the three criteria, or by discovering that you are not the right person for the position to be filled.
I hope this article has given you some elements to succeed in your next job interview.